A very good story, quite enjoyable. I think you got a lot of the characterization spot on, but there are two things I'd like to mention. First, it seemed that McG saw Harry and Ron after the scene in the staffroom but before they went to the Chamber... it might just be me, but that doesn't seem to fit in with Canon. It doesn't matter though, since it was well done. The other thing is that Minerva seemed a bit, er, under-confident. She just doesn't seem like the person to tell herself that she is someone else (Albus) to get a job done, she'd stand on her own, even if was hard.

Of course, all things considered Minerva was done excellently, and I hope to see more from you in the future.

Reviewer: Kelly

Date: 2004-08-10

Reviewid: 96570

Chapter: 1

very clever. you kept to the plot of COS but still made it really interesting. nice job!

Reviewer: magicaljules

Date: 2004-08-09

Reviewid: 96411

Chapter: 1

OMG!!! I've just stumbled upon this story, and I must say, it's one of the very best alternative POV stories I've ever read!

It was almost as good as reading JKR's original! I got chills when McG heard that a student had been taken into the chamber.

this made me want to cry:

<<The celebrating stopped only when the revived students filed in from the hospital wing. Everyone stood respectfully for a few moments before breaking into wild cheering. Hermione Granger ran across the room screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" Minerva supposed she was talking to Potter and Weasley, and she guessed Hermione was referring to something Potter had said in his long story. She added it to her mental list of Things to Find Out Later.>>

and what a great ending:

<<She walked up the stairs to her room behind Potter, Granger and Weasley as they made their way to Gryffindor Tower. As the black, brown and red heads bobbed in front of her, she realized how far they all had come that year. How much they had grown, and how much they had endured. How much they had changed. They had come so close to death and lived through it. They had faced great loss and met it with courage. They had known deceit, selfishness, and evil, and had not been corrupted by them. She knew they had learned important lessons and truths in the last few months, and she knew with equal certainty—and sadness—that they would need to remember them in the years to come.

And she had grown as well. She had found new confidence, faith, and trust in herself. She had gained familiarity with her own role in life and discovered that she could be stretched to new limits without breaking. New facets of her personality had been revealed to her—some that she liked, and some that she didn’t. Most of all, she had gained a new appreciation and respect for Albus and his job as Headmaster.>>

Wonderful!

Jules

Reviewer: Zara

Date: 2004-06-30

Reviewid: 89651

Chapter: 1

Wow... very well written and intraging enough to keep me readingf till 5:51 AM when I havet even gone to bead yhet

Reviewer: Morag Camshron

Date: 2004-06-10

Reviewid: 86658

Chapter: 1

As always, I enjoy a story that features McGonagall in an understanding tone, as she is one of my favourite characters. Rembercedric’s story is a well-written, enjoyable read, sprinkled with humour.

- Morag Camshron

Reviewer: Sehila

Date: 2004-03-14

Reviewid: 74664

Chapter: 1

I really liked the part about Snape being pelted with a roll. ; )

Reviewer: Sehila

Date: 2004-03-14

Reviewid: 74662

Chapter: 1

I really liked this. Good job!

Reviewer: CornedBee

Date: 2004-03-14

Reviewid: 74629

Chapter: 1

Yet another wonderful and exciting missing moment, making memories from my first read of CoS come up. Very well done!

Reviewer: manda

Date: 2004-01-30

Reviewid: 68966

Chapter: 1

extraordinary! the story was creative yet believable, and it fit right in with the tone and style of chamber of secrets. i particularly loved the little details you threw in here and there (the scent of wool accompanying dumbledore's letter was particularly inspired :)) - they made it much more realistic, as if it could have actually been in chamber of secrets (an alternate take, added to the back of the book as a special treat for devoted fans, maybe). the only thing i could possibly suggest would be to add more into the flashback - it was *so nice* to find out a little about mcgonagall's past, since we never find out much of anything in the books, and i would have loved it if you had added even more to it. such a stunning idea, really, to have mcgonagall feeling (and somewhat expressing) pain, since she's pictured as something of a hard, emotionless woman in the books. but i digress. all in all, *excellent* job. keep up the great work (as i know you are)!

peace,manda

Reviewer: Mallory G.

Date: 2004-01-28

Reviewid: 68752

Chapter: 1

Ya Katie! This story rocks! Ahhh! How cool is it that you are on here? Everyone should read this story! Very creative and insightful! Good read!

Reviewer: Ara Kane

Date: 2004-01-27

Reviewid: 68543

Chapter: 1

This was fantastic. I got thrills every time Minerva pep-talked herself -- I think she's my favorite canon female, bar none, and you did her justice here. (My favorite part has to be when she threw the buttered roll at Snape -- hee!) Great job!

Reviewer: MrRobertsIII

Date: 2004-01-23

Reviewid: 68134

Chapter: 1

The flashback was a bit disconcerting.

She herself even threw a buttered roll at Severus when he wasn’t looking. -cute

Thanks for the fic. It was an enjoyable, short read with Minerva McGonagall well in character.

Reviewer: CheddarTrek

Date: 2004-01-23

Reviewid: 68083

Chapter: 1

Great story, I love McGonagall fics, and yours is one of the better ones I have read. You keep her perfectly in character, and tie in everything from the books perfectly and with great attention to detail.

Only one thing though... When McG stopped HP and Ron in the corridors, you write her as having a sort of flashback thing. It was a good idea, and was tied in perfectly, but I would like to think that she was simply touched by the fact that HP and Ron wanted to see Hermione.

All things aside though, this is a great story, so please keep up the great work!

Reviewer: Lady Narcissa

Date: 2004-01-22

Reviewid: 68020

Chapter: 1

Nicely interwoven details, mixed with Professor McGonagall's POV. She's long been one of my favourite characters, and while I've probably imbued her with a little more steely will than you did, it was nice to read someone else's perspective on her. From an editorial perspective I found the continual 'I am Albus' repetition to be a bit overdone, because, really, she was not Albus, ever. But I could see her using that as a confidence booster.

I loved seeing the bun thrown at Snape, and McGonagall's excuse for tears in the hallway scene with Ron and Harry (although I wanted more detail in her flashback). And since Dumbledore's letter made so much out of visiting the greenhouses, I almost expected that to come into play as a story segment, too.

Hmm, this sounds critical, but really, these are just thinking points. Plot bunnies. You've got a lovely story here with a very nice balance between thought and action, and it all ties in extremely well with the happenings in canon.

Reviewer: Diana

Date: 2004-01-22

Reviewid: 67991

Chapter: 1

*sniff* that was beautiful. I'm still planning to do my own version of Minerva though...if I accepted as new author this time.

Reviewer: US HP fan

Date: 2004-01-22

Reviewid: 67980

Chapter: 1

Great story! Loved seeing it from McGonagall's POV.

Reviewer: GryffinMiraur

Date: 2004-01-22

Reviewid: 67948

Chapter: 1

Yes! I enjoyed this thoroughly. I had never thought of what it would be like to have to fill Albus Dumbledore's shoes. You captured Professor McGonagall's character very well and I especially loved that little bit of backstory. Well done.

Reviewer: oybolshoi

Date: 2004-01-21

Reviewid: 67911

Chapter: 1

Terrific story - I think you did a great job of capturing Minerva's voice, and I love that she ended up suggesting that exams for the year be cancelled (who would have thought?).

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